Residents of the Crawford Creek subdivision in Evans got a victory Thursday when a developer backed down from attempting to build townhomes at the neighborhood’s entrance.
Currently an undeveloped 11-acre lot next to the neighborhood’s daycare is approved for an assisted living facility. The daycare is near the entrance at 5048 Hereford Farm Road.
But the developer, BESA Development Group, filed paperwork with Columbia County and asked that it be allowed to build townhomes on the lot. There are townhomes already in the subdivision, but not at the entrance.
Residents inundated county commissioners with calls and emails and said they did not want the townhomes to be built.
So the developer’s representative, Jason Whinghter, withdrew the request and told the Columbia County Planning Board that he wanted to work with residents to come up with some other use. The developer said an assisted living facility there would be too far from pharmacies and medical care.
About 60 residents showed up to the planning board’s meeting Thursday night. About a dozen left after the board’s chairman, Jim Cox, told the crowd that the developer had withdrawn the request.
Still, three residents spoke against the proposal.
Cody Turner told the board he works as a firefighter and that with the current number of residents, the entrance on Hereford Farm Road and the other on William Smith Road are dangerous, and he has witnessed several accidents.
Dan Ruder told the board that any structures there would alter the flow of water and damage wetlands and possible Hereford Farm Road.
Bryan Lugo told the board any development there would be an eyesore.
“We just want to preserve our nature and greenspace for when we come into our neighborhood,” Lugo said.
Board members allowed BESA to withdraw its request, and then had advice for the residents.
“I would encourage you to give (Whinghter) positive feedback that will help him,” Cox said.
The board’s vice chairman, Al Dempsey, was more blunt.
“I want to make sure everyone understands. Something is coming,” Dempsey said.
Though BESA withdrew the request, the company can resubmit the same request or something similar at any time. In 2015, a developer requested building storage units in the neighborhood, but county commissioners rejected the idea.
Joshua B. Good is a staff reporter covering Columbia County and military/veterans’ issues for The Augusta Press. Reach him at joshua@theaugustapress.com
